This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method of remotely obtaining samples from and remotely detecting contaminants or constituents of soil in the vadose zone.
The Vadose Zone is that region from the surface to the permanent water table. The portion generally viewed as the root zone is likely to contain moisture and may be titled the saturated zone. The character of the contents of the saturated zone is relatively easy to monitor by drilling permanent test wells and either pulling samples for analysis or installing sensors in the wells. The region below the root zone is unsaturated. Testing or characterizing the materials, perhaps contaminates or pollutants, from this portion of the vadose zone requires pulling 15 to 20 soil core samples in each area of interest, preparing the samples, e.g., by mixing the samples and sending the samples to a Lab for analysis. The sample acquisition in the unsaturated zone and analysis is time consuming and expensive. The unsaturated Vadose zone has always been the unknown area in the soil with those concerned often using their best estimate of the character or identification of and quantity of materials, i.e., contaminants, which were either situated to or were leaching through the soil toward the permanent water table.
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This invention provides saturated and unsaturated Vadose zone remote sample acquisition and in-situ contaminant character identification. The invention is addressed to the management of the Vadose zone. Matters of interest to the agricultural community may include, in addition to other factors, the quantity of nutrients in the saturated zone and the existence of contaminants and the potential for loss of nutrients to the unsaturated zone. Matters of interest to facilities engaging in pollution, toxic or other contaminant detection will be the presence of such contaminants in both the saturated and unsaturated zones and additionally of the transit of contaminants into the unsaturated zone having potential of interaction with the water table. The unit acquires a sample of liquid transiting the vadose zone; sensors exposed to the liquid transmit data signals regarding the quantity and character is the liquid; liquid accumulated in a unit sump is periodically pumped to uncontaminated sample liquid storage for analysis and as a resource for replenishing the liquid proximal the sensors. All activities occurring within the unit are recorded or stored by storage or computer means; control means operates pumps.